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Subscribe to RSSPresident Barack Obama calls the attacks on U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice "politically motivated" and says they are unacceptable.
President Barack Obama on Sunday called security issues that led to the deaths of four Americans in the Benghazi consulate attack "a huge problem," although he continued to defend U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as a victim of political scapegoating by Republicans who have suggested an administration coverup of the situation.
"We're not going to be defensive about it," Obama said of the State Department review of the attacks during an exclusive interview on NBC's Meet the Press. "We're not going to pretend that this was not a problem. This was a huge problem. And we're going to implement every single recommendation that's been put forward."
Saying that some State Department officials "have been held accountable," Obama said that the review of the September 11 attack showed there was "sloppiness" in terms of security measures but that mistakes were not intentional.
In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, President Barack Obama tells David Gregory he's optimistic the fiscal cliff can be averted, lays out the goals for his second term, and also discusses the Benghazi attack and how it was handled by the administration and those on Capitol Hill.
But he defended U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, who withdrew from consideration to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after Republicans vigorously opposed her for her role in discussing the attacks after the raid.
"She appeared on a number of television shows reporting what she and we understood to be the best information at the time," Obama said. "This was a politically motivated attack on her. I mean, of all the people in my national security team, she probably had the least to do with anything that happened in Benghazi."
Obama indicated that intelligence officials have "good leads" as to who carried out the attack.
"With respect to who carried it out, that's an ongoing investigation," he said. "The F.B.I. has sent individuals to Libya repeatedly. We have some very good leads, but this is not something that I'm going to be at liberty to talk about right now."
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The US has had embassies is flaky, dangerous places for a hundred years or more. The flaky, dangerous places have not changed. Where is the serious disconnect when it comes to protecting our diplomats in these places? The State Department dictates security measures (as well as budget cuts for embassies), but the President is ultimately responsible for the safety of our emissaries in foreign countries. This was a terrorist attack (not a flash mob) and the security was being handled by local nationals, who were conveniently nowhere to be found! Let's get back to having US Marines (armed and dangerous) at every embassy in the world. Screw this 'private security' sh1t when it is handled by locals with questionable loyalties!
Dumbo you are the only one responsible for killing four americans. You might just as well pulled the trigger. You are without a doubt the most worthless person in america period.
Thanks, How.....at least I am only the second-most worthless, at worst.
It is a problem BHO, you and Hillary have BLOOD on your hands and Hillary has to tesify after her fake fall and concussion. You both have to resign NOW !
LOL!!! Try banging your head on the wall.
bush administration - 12 embassy attacks - 53 americans killed - 0 republican outrage - case closed.
Hypocrisy at it's best.
he lied, clinton lied, rice lied. they covering their asses because they are responsible for the deaths of four americans including the ambassador. clinton and rice are out now obama should be impeached for lying to the american people and covering up his own lack of knowledge and stupidity in foreign affairs.
bush lied, cheney lied, rice lied - i think more than 4 Americans were killed with their lies.
depraw,
Do not forget Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Dianne Feinstein. Powell presented the case to the UN and the the other three voted for the war based on the so-called lies.
Good try!
Liar!! So, Mr President, if by the next day, you knew and even "told the Press that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack," why send Ambassador Rice to lie to us and say that the attack on Benghazi was a spontaneous attack caused by a video about Mohammed? The CIA was there firsthand so they knew this was a terrorist attack.. so, which "Intelligent Agency" said otherwise? In fact, everybody who should know in Washington was watching the attack in real time.. You have drones flying overhead watching and broadcasting.. The question is 1) Was Ambassador Rice just that stupid and incompetent she didn't ask any question at all when you told her to go to all the networks and lie. Did she not care at all, so long as she had the promise of the Secretary of State position for compensation? and 2) What preparations did you have all American establishments and interest around the world do in preparation for the Anniversary of 911?Why is it that the best Military in the world don't have any forces on standby for any emergency specially on the Anniversary of 911. No plans at all? What exactly were you doing during the attack, what orders did you give during the attack? after the attack? after all, you left for Las Vegas right after the attack.. Care much? Oh, and did I mention the fact that you yourself used the video as an excuse for the attack in your speech at the UN? I deserve to know the Truth!! NO MORE LIES!!
Of course he went to Las Vegas the next day - hell, he went to Hawaii right after he shed his crocodile tears....not much of a man.
The sorry state of affairs may make this woman President one day.
What I don't understand, is what exactly they were doing in Behngazi. We assume they were retrieving and shipping guns/ammo/apgs, ... to Syria, and were working with Al Quaeda, and MB to accomplish this.
Clearly, coordinating with AQ will make you a bad guy on the scale of it, considering it is our enemy. But it still seems to be more than that. I hate to say, I can actually see a scenario where we would work with these guys.
But again, why? To gain leverage with the multiple groups in Syria?
Assad is a criminal thru and thru. AQ are, well, you know - AQ.
Welcome to the Caliphate of the ME. I bet you a dollar they will still sell oil to us when SA falls.
Johnny - You have just hit upon a possible motivation for Obama allowing Chris Stevens to be murdered and the mission to be looted: To cover up Obama's role in allowing weapons like antiaircraft missiles and land mines into Muslim terrorist hands.
kannin.....
bush administration - 12 embassy attacks - 53 Americans killed -
bush administration - twice as many Americans killed in 2 wars generated by the lies of condi rice than were killed by the 911 terrorists.
enough said. case closed. you lose.
Bush never denied first responders permission to rescue the victims. Bush never told rescuers to "Stand Down!" Obama did. Big difference!
Oh Dear Lord. Give me a freakin' break. Now Clinton has suddenly just been hospitalized for a blood clot. She has a blood clot alright. Clots of blood from those murdered in Benghazi all over her hands.
How do you spell cover-up? Benghazi.
God how can you be God? or am i talking to b obama
The big question on the table is, who deliberately forbade US forces from rescuing Amb. Stevens? And now Obama issues a meaningless Watergate-style statement "Mistakes were made, blah, blah, blah ..." Just as in 1973, such statements that duck all the important questions, virtually shout "coverup."
are the republicans apologizing for making cuts in embassy security?
They didn't make cuts depraw, they proposed cuts ... of only 10%.
So, because the House proposed to give Obama only 90% of what he asked for, Obama refused to defend the Benghazi Mission. Are you suggesting that he allowed them to be slaughtered out of revenge for the House not giving him everything he asked for?
According to Democratic House Oversight Committee staff, the amount that the GOP-led House passed for two accounts that pay for embassy security in fiscal 2012 ($2.311 billion) was $330 million less than the Obama administration had requested ($2.641 billion).
A GOP House Appropriations Committee aide confirmed the House bill had less in these accounts than what the administration requested.
However, the final bill, after being worked on by the Democratic-led Senate, put in more money than what had passed in the House. The final bill, which passed with bipartisan support, gave a total of $2.37 billion to these accounts for fiscal 2012 -- about $270 million less than what the administration had requested.
The GOP-led House did initially approve about $330 million less than what the administration requested, but in the final bill, passed with bipartisan support after adjustments by the Senate, put the amount closer to the administration's target.
Passed with bipartisan support!
thanks for answering my question. so a cut was made. the President asked for more and the republicans gave him less. thank you.
the ultimate responsibility lies with the president first, clinton second. the target was being painted by laser, meaning there was an aircraft or drove above, but it was never allowed to attack. so much for responsibility.
Pigotry we miss you. We like your "picture".
What a deal this guy has! He doesn't have to remember lies he's told since (other than Fox) his cheerleaders in the media are not the least bit interested in reporting his documented contradictory statements. Where are my daddy's journalists when we have an empty suit in the White House?
Wake up, America. Turn off your reality shows and give a hoot over what's going on in this country.
's
Obama is a lying piece of @!$%#! The truth eventually comes out watch and see.
thanks for proving your ignorance to the general public. it just saved me a lot of typing.
Only white men who hold property should be able to vote. Pigotry agrees with me.
I think clintons blood clot is in her ass, it just seems to keep growing bigger and bigger! lol
it's a lot bigger than your brain.
dream, you queens can be so catty!
This administration is full of irresponsible and illegal behavior:
Actually we know Pigotry does not agree, and my statement was meant out and out as an instigation.
I just wish that all the classroom dollars spent actually supported people who were interested in learning things. The era of the "bad geek idiot" has to disappear. It is the only way we, us, as a nation will continue to maintain our collective prosperity.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God bless the United States. Even GW Bush.
I see all the children are fighting again....this stuff is so funny and ridiculous.
Obama said, “The minute I found out what was going on, I gave three very clear directives -- Number 1, make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.”
So, less than 26 minutes after the start of the attack, our Commander-in-Chief ordered "make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.” We had plenty of military assets in the Middle East, AC-130U Gunships, attack helicopters, counter-terrorism teams etc. They had 7 hours 46 minutes in which to help secure our personnel. And they did nothing?? The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the commander of U.S. Africa Command and the commander of U.S. European Command all ignored a direct order from their Commander-in-Chief, and did nothing? Hard to believe ...
You so-called "liberals" are the most disgusting hypocrites. Blatant lies are fine with you, even applauded, as long as it's "your guy." Obama should be impeached, but the media controls what you think, just like the Nixon days-in reverse. This guy is an unbelievable liar and Susan Rice is just as scummy. She lied about this to every "news" outlet and you think it's all a "misunderstanding." 4 of our citizens are dead and Obama is very much responsible. Goebbels was the guy who said, "Tell the lie long enough and the people will believe it's the truth." Sick!
Have a nice stroke! ;-)
Looks like another Right Wing Conspiracy. Once again our Teflon President at his finest,
Isn't it funny all the people that screw up in the Obama administration just get therir hands slapped. Look at Holder, and the people in this Benghazi mess. They should all be thrown in jail, but no, the head Muslim, Obama lets them off. Obama needs to resign now. He is no good for America. He doesn't believe in America, wants us to be like the Muslim nations,under Muslim rule. Resign now you coward and take Hilary and the rest of your scum with you. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
lazy mouse.........
look at bush, look at c. rice, look at cheney, look at rumsfeld, look at rove, etc.etc.etc.
bush administration - 12 embassy attacks -53 Americans killed
bush administration - twice as many Americans killed in 2 wars generated by lies from condoleza rice(wmd's and mushroom clouds) than were killed by the 911 terrorists.
p.s. are mr 'national guard no-show' bush and mr dickless '5 deferment ' cheney allowed out of the country yet? or will they still be arrested for war crimes?
Before 9/11 the CIA and the FBI acting on tips they had received from German Intelligence told the Bush Administration that there was evidence of an Al Qaida plot to hijack planes in the United States and to use those planes as missiles against American civilian targets. George Bush and Dick Cheney shrugged off those warnings and took no preventative action until it was too late and thus presided over the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, one that took nearly 3000 lives. After 9/11 the Republicans cried "Iraq... Iraq ...Iraq... Iraq" and then invaded a country that had no part in 9/11 causing a civil war and thousands more innocent deaths. When the U.S. Embassy was attacked in Bhengazi, Libya many of the same Republicans who had no criticism for the Bush Administration immediately began playing partisan politics in leveling unwarranted and unjustified criticism against the Obama Administration and Susan Rice who particularly bore the brunt of that criticism. For the last six months the Republicans have been playing partisan politics with Bhengazi and the fiscal cliff and every damn bit of it is partisan politics because they are nothing but a bunch of whining lying obstructionist hypocrites.
well said.....jleopard
also the BUSH ADMINISTRATION showed the ULTIMATE IN IRRESPONSIBILITY by starting 2 wars and lowering taxes at the same time causing the majority of our debt problems. EVERY war we had ever fought in was funded by raising taxes. The Federal Income Tax was created to fund the Civil War. Lincoln DOUBLED the rate on the highest wage earners well into the war to provide additional funding.
under the bush administration there were 12 embassy attacks in which 53 Americans were killed. Where was the republican outrage then? They prove their hypocrisy every time they open their mouths.
I did not think my comments were fighting, (minus GWB, white men, attacks on Pigotry, ....). Sorry.
We citizens, as a nation, have a great need to process US Federal Gov , to make sure we do not "kill" our children with so much debt, that there is no way they can ever pay.
I am what used to be called DFL. The is Democratic Farmer Labor. I still believe in it, even as a newbie, wanna be, RP.
The thing is, it is all about out tax dollars, and how they are used.
I busted my ass of to become an engineer; spent many a Fri., Sat. night cooking food to make that happen.
I assume that the money I have contributed to SS, Medicare, etc., will NEVER be available for us. I am currently 48, and have been working since I was 14.
So here is my rant wondergwb: do not call me a child. Have a nice New Year. We all need each other, No more divisions.
JDS
What part of cover up don't the public understand. This was declared a lot of deaths over a video. Well that produced some real hate mongering amongst Americans for these people.
Now we find that OB and his cronies lied to us. Bad enough that it was terrorists. Really bad to spread more hate.
And they accused weak links of being killers. My God this government can't talk.
As far as Rice is concerned she got what she deserved. If you don't know what is going on keep your mouth shut Remember you are part of the American government.
bush administration - 12 embassy attacks - 53 Americans killed - 0 republican outrage - case closed.
bush administration - FBI and CIA warnings 2 months before 911. No action taken. 3,000 Americans killed. no republican outrage.